All my life I've been poor boy, son, scratching for my meat
I have been kicked in my teeth 'till the blood run hot and sweet
Seen a lot of living my friends and this I will repeat
Just because you knock a man down, don't mean that you got him beat

It's a shame, shame, shame
Baby, it's a crying shame
It's a shame, shame, shame
Baby, it's a crying shame

Henry nearly killed me 'fore they hauled his ass in jail
Slapped me right across my face with a flour sack full of nails
Nearly broke my head in two with his steel toed boots
Shoving all that money down the laundry chute

It's a shame, shame, shame
Baby, it's a crying shame
It's a shame, shame, shame
A crying shame

Sweet little Mary Anne with her make up all a mess
Picks herself up off the floor, coughs and straightens her dress
Saying: please, please daddy, can I have just a little bit more?
I said: sorry baby, I'm heading out
Somehow this town don't feel like home anymore

It's a shame, shame, shame
Baby, it's a crying shame
It's a shame, shame, shame
Baby, it's a crying shame

It's a shame, shame, shame
Baby, it's a crying shame
It's a shame, shame, shame
Baby, it's a crying shame

I've seen a lot of living my friends and this I will repeat
Just because you knock a man down, don't mean that you got him beat 

It's a shame, shame, shame
Baby, it's a crying shame
It's a shame, shame, shame
Baby, it's a crying shame

Shame, shame, shame
It's a shame, shame, shame